Cambodia’s opposition faces second pay cut for demo

By Lauren Crothers

PHNOM PENH (AA) - Opposition lawmakers in Cambodia are facing the possibility of having their salaries slashed for the second time as punishment for boycotting parliament in protest at the treatment of colleagues.

The Cambodia Daily on Tuesday reported that the National Assembly’s finance commission and secretariat-general were going to consider why the opposition MPs should continue getting paid if they are not taking their seats.

The 55 Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) lawmakers have been boycotting the assembly since police made a failed attempt one month ago to arrest their deputy leader, Kem Sokha.

The Daily quoted an assembly spokesman as saying that since that attempted arrest -- related to an affair Sokha had -- “they have never come to work, but they get their salaries as normal.”

CNRP chief whip Son Chhay, who is deputy head of the finance commission, told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that while the boycott is not ideal -- "our voice should be in Parliament" -- it is necessary in light of the past few months.

“It was [a decision made at] a time when we think that enough is enough,” Chhay said. “Maybe not a strategy, but a natural reaction to the abuse made by the government party and Parliament as well, because they are the ones who decided to make a decision violating our Constitution, allowing the authorities to arrest without lifting the immunity of MPs.”

Sokha remains holed up at the CNRP headquarters to avoid being taken to court to answer about the infidelity, which the court has decided should be treated as a case of prostitution.

Additionally, two other party lawmakers are also in jail despite having parliamentary immunity, while CNRP leader Sam Rainsy is in self-imposed exile again to avoid a prison sentence.

Chhay said the stripping of salaries would come as no surprise, given that this is now the third time the 55 have staged a boycott.

The first began in the wake of the volatile 2013 elections, in which both the CNRP and ruling Cambodian People’s Party claimed victory. That nearly yearlong boycott resulted in MPs having their salaries cut, but it was called off after both parties negotiated a truce.

The second boycott lasted two months, and came after two CNRP MPs were beaten bloody outside the National Assembly by a mob that included members of the Prime Minister’s Bodyguard Unit.

“You have to understand that to be opposition in this country, you have to sacrifice yourself. It’s not a privilege to be a member of the opposition. You have to suffer mentally, physically and materially. In any fight for freedom and democracy you have to go through that. “